Rihanna is indisputably one of the most beloved artists of the early 2000s.

After Rihanna released “Pon De Replay” in 2005, her popularity skyrocketed; she is now one of the most followed people on Instagram and Spotify. Then, after years of a very successful music career, she released her album “Anti” in 2016, which proved to be a massive hit. Since then, however, Rihanna seemed to have quit music, not producing any albums in a six-year gap.

Even with a hiatus from the music scene, though, Rihanna was busy creating her wildly successful brands, Fenty Beauty and Savage x Fenty. Still, fans wondered about her seemingly stagnant music carer.

In May of 2021, Marvel Studious announced that a Black Panther sequel, Wakanda Forever, would be released as a tribute to the late actor, Chadwick Boseman, who played the titular role until his tragic death in 2020. As the end credits scroll, audiences heard Rihanna’s return with “Lift Me Up,” also in honor of Boseman’s life and legacy. As of tday, the song has over 4.9 million views on YouTube and 192 million streams on Spotify.

“Burning in a hopeless dream / Hold me when you go to sleep,” Rihanna sings. “Keep me in the warmth of your love when you depart / Keep me safe, safe and sound.”

This new song is a departure from Rihanna’s sound, chiefly upbeat pop and rap music. However, “Lift Me Up” is calmer and slower-paced, and more emotional. For fans disappointed about Rihanna’s recent lack of output, this new song should take their collective breath away.